My base is a bit oddly shaped for a picture, but basically (get it? BASE-ickally?) so far I'm creating a base near the surface and one deep below that I might turn into a gigantic reaper/reefback aquarium.

Very cool! How long did it take you to build all that?

With the instant build code on not very long. It was a little tedious because the tunnel down and the stacks up didn't line up quite right and that's why there's several "steps" down instead of just being at 20m then 1,000m.

I am sorry, its not a real desalinization device, its a fake. I forgot to put the "s around in the text. I use house rules to simulate such a device via the debug console just like I use house rules to simulate fish breeding. I have updated the original post.

Not really a good pic of my base but I have a visitor that won't go away. This is near the thermal vent behind the aurora.
There are 2 of them and they just keep circling the base. Then once every day cycle they attack the base. My cyclops is behind me.

for any base builder in survival I can give handy tip to get materials needed: north of start location near auroria is scrapyard with plenty of salvage (there is plenty around the start location too), grab seamoth with few storage upgrades and collect. towards east is grand reef, with at least one depth upgrade it provides plenty of quartz.
Or even better: fit cyclops with as many solar panels as you need (and lockers inside) and now its mobile collection base that can run on surface without need to replace batteries, if you have energy upgrade it can also dive near location and properly return back, and work as energy restock for seamoth while on area

for any base builder in survival I can give handy tip to get materials needed: north of start location near auroria is scrapyard with plenty of salvage (there is plenty around the start location too), grab seamoth with few storage upgrades and collect. towards east is grand reef, with at least one depth upgrade it provides plenty of quartz.
Or even better: fit cyclops with as many solar panels as you need (and lockers inside) and now its mobile collection base that can run on surface without need to replace batteries, if you have energy upgrade it can also dive near location and properly return back, and work as energy restock for seamoth while on area

Your directions are incorrect. With the compass, Aurora is southeast of the starting zone, grand reef is southwest.